Red hot winter run continues for Jonny Mac

JON McAllister has continued his impressive winter form on the daunting Burghfield pit with his biggest fish from the venue so far.

The Wychwood consultant took mirrors of 28lb 2oz and 39lb 10oz on the same morning of a midweek session.

Jon has now caught carp from the 90-acre Berkshire water in each of the winter months since beginning his cold-water campaign in October.

He even managed to land a 24lb carp at 150 yards’ range through a small hole in the ice back in December.

He told Angling Times: “I’m a regular winter keenie and nothing puts me off.
“I’ve been targeting an area of open water and trickling in small amounts Mainline Cell on a regular basis.

“I’ve set my stall out to fish this area through the winter and have set myself a target of catching in every month up until March, when I’m convinced the big common will come out.

“On this occasion I arrived on the Monday and had both these fish on the Wednesday morning. A couple of days later the whole place was covered in snow.”

Jon, who fished multi rigs featuring a size-four Atomic Chodda hook tied to Atomic Jel-E-Wyre, added: “Back on December 12 I had a 24lb mirror from under the ice and it was honestly one of the most noteworthy fish I’ve ever caught.

“People talk about snow carp, but whenever I get frozen in I always stay at the lake and leave my rods in because I know that at some point a carp will pick up the bait.

“I was fishing at 150 yards but I managed to keep a small hole in the ice in the margins and when I got the take I kept pumping the rod backwards and forwards low to the bank so there wasn’t a big angle between the line and the ice.

“I put my torch on and saw this ghostly shape drifting under the ice – it was a really bizarre sight.”